Is Cremation Allowed in the Jewish Tradition?
In the Jewish faith, there are long-held beliefs and traditions that have generally eschewed cremation as an option after death. Though opposition remains in many communities, more and more members of the Jewish faith are opting for cremation, either instead of or as part of a traditional burial service.
The Historical Opposition to Cremation
In the early history of the Jewish people, cremation was viewed as a pagan burial ritual. As the Israelites sought to distinguish themselves as much as possible from pagan rituals and beliefs, they did not engage in the practice.
In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 46b), the subject of cremation is addressed at length. The Talmud concludes that, because Jewish religious law mandates burial of the dead, and because a cremated body is not the dead, but merely ashes, cremation does not allow for Jewish law to be fulfilled.
Other arguments against cremation within the Jewish faith have included:
- The belief within Jewish mysticism, or Kabbalah, that because the soul does not immediately leave the body upon death, it will suffer pain during the cremation process
- The longstanding belief within Judaism that the human body belongs to God, not to the human who occupied it. Proponents of this argument believe that cremation amounts to destruction of God’s property.
- The Holocaust, which used fire to murder millions within the Jewish faith
The Trend toward Some Acceptance of Cremation within the Jewish Faith
Over the last half century, the percentage of Americans choosing cremation has skyrocketed, from less than 4% in 1958 to more than 50% by 2020. Authorities attribute that shift to a number of factors:
- People are less likely to be buried in a family plot, as there’s much more geographical mobility and dispersion
- Many view cremation as environmentally troubling—Embalming fluids are known to contain carcinogens, caskets use significant resources of metal and wood, and burial sites are becoming crowded
- Other mainstream religions now allow cremation—Until 1963, the Catholic church prohibited cremation. Other faith traditions have only approved the practice in the last century
Though members of the Jewish faith have not embraced cremation in a similar manner, some areas of the country have seen up to 10-15% of Jewish people opt for burial of cremated remains.
The Reasons for the Growth of Cremation within the Jewish Faith
Industry watchers suggest a couple of reasons why more Jewish people are choosing cremation:
- More often, the cemetery where a person is buried is not owned by or affiliated with a synagogue—Typically, where the cemetery belongs to the synagogue, the synagogue may have rules that prohibit the burial of cremated remains. When the cemetery is privately owned, those rules won’t be enforced and the customer may choose cremation.
- Cremation may be necessary or desirable for cost or travel reasons—Many members of the Jewish faith want to be buried in Israel when they die. The cost of transporting a body can be substantial, and the process of transporting a body to Israel can be fraught with uncertainty. With cremation, a family member can simply take an urn as a carry-on on a flight to Israel.
While Jewish tradition still encourages burial over cremation, Reform Judaism is softening its stance. For that reason, it’s not uncommon for a Reform Jewish cemetery to allow burial of cremains (cremated remains), but the cemeteries still typically require that the cremains be contained in a coffin.
In Orthodox and Conservative Judaism, however, cremation is still strictly forbidden. It’s not unusual for rabbis in those traditions to advise surviving family members to ignore the wishes of the deceased and have a burial of the body.
Gutterman’s—Compassionate and Comprehensive Funeral and Burial Services for 125 Years
At Gutterman’s and Gutterman Warheit, we serve the Jewish communities in New York and Florida, offering guidance and assistance with all matters related to funeral and burial services. We understand the unique customs within the different traditions, and will help you pay your respects to a loved one while adhering to the tenets of your faith. We have the experience to help you with any task associated with or arising out of the death of a loved one, including preparation for and planning of the memorial service, the selection of a meaningful marker or monument or the creation of mourning/Yahrzeit calendars. We will work directly with the Chevra Kadisha to see that the body is ritually prepared, and can work with you to set up all necessary arrangements for sitting Shiva.
To learn more about the ways we can be of service after the death of a loved one, call us at one of the numbers below. Our funeral chapels are open, so we are happy to meet with you in person, but we can also consult with you by phone, text message or videoconferencing. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.